Santa Clara County Biographies
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
MICHAEL LYNCH
HORTICULTURIST
SURNAMES: PAYTON
MICHAEL LYNCH, Superintendent of the grounds and greenhouses at the Timothy
Hopkins place, is a citizen of Santa Clara County, residing near the line of San
Mateo. He was born in County Meath, Ireland, and at the age of sixteen years he
began to acquire a practical knowledge of floral gardening. When eighteen he
went to England, and for five years was employed in his profession at the
Bancroft, Beachley, and Ollerton places, at Liverpool. In 1868 he came to
America, and was located at New York until 1871, when he came to California via
Panama, arriving at San Francisco February 22, 1871. Two years later he came to
Menlo Park, to take charge of the grounds of Major Rathbone, Consul at Paris.
After five years there he accepted a similar position with L. L. Robinson, at
Antioch. He was there two years and seven months, and was then employed by J. C.
Flood to take charge of the laying out and ornamentation of the grounds of his
Menlo Park place. These beautiful grounds, which outshine any on the Pacific
Coast, and are not surpassed in beauty in the country, are the results of the
taste of Mr. Lynch, who had carte blanche whild there engaged, and the place is
a monument to his ability in his profession. In September, 1886, his services
were obtained by Mr. Hopkins, and he now has charge of the Menlo Park and
California Street (San Francisco) places. Mr. Lynch was married in New Jersey on
the day he started for the Pacific Coast, to Miss Mary Payton. They have eight
children, namely: James, Mary, Joseph, Michael, Jennie, Edward, John, and Rose.
SOURCE: Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County,
California, Illustrated. - Edited by H.S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing
Company, 1888.- Page 259 transcribed by Carol Lackey